CHIANG RAI – Chiang Raiâ€™s â€œArt Bridgeâ€ has organized a gathering of local artists in the northern region to participate in a 17-meter mural painting of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej.

Art Bridge in Ban Du Sub-district brings together artists from the region, including national artist Chalermchai Kositpipat, who all contributed to the large sized painting of the late King of Thailand.

It is an undertaking that is being met with praise and awe by passersby.

Mr Chalermchai said the painting portrays the life of King Bhumibol Adulyadejâ€™s and his royal contributions to the people of Chiang Rai.

The paintingâ€™s dominant gray scale coloring is meant to invoke a mood of tranquility while the diverse skills of each artist are meant to compliment each other in creating a grand piece of work that captures the greatness of the late King as well as his own royal skills as an artist.

The painting will be temporarily showcased where it was created before being transferred to Wat Rong Khun in order to be made available to a larger audience.

Vice President of Art Bridge Chiang Rai Suwit Chaipom said he has been painting images of King Bhumibol Adulyadej since his time as a high school student, starting by copying His Majestyâ€™s image from 1 baht coins.

His lifelong work has produced over 500 images of King Bhumibol Adulyadej. This most recent joint undertaking will serve as a point of great pride for all artists involved.

Meanwhile, at the Chiang Rai Hill Tribes Development Center, members of many tribes also attended a merit-making ceremony for the late king, which was led by related religious leaders.

During the ceremony, several villagers carried photos of the beloved kingâ€™s visit to their villages and shed tears as they remained grateful to the late King Bhumibol, who had helped tackle such problems as statelessness, unrest and drugs.